The Nuptial Series (xxii) - GUO DA LI (Betrothal and Dowry Gifts Exchange)

This is my longest post of The Nuptial Series yet but rest assured that it shall be the most informative as well. From here it comprises contents of betrothal, dowry as well as Bed Setting (an chuang) information as well as suppliers.

It is two weeks to the Wedding and we start to feel the pressure of preparation, having been rather relaxed over the previous months. Today we are looking at Guo Da Li (aka Bethrothal and Dowry Gifts Exchange) which has been simplified to a more casual event today as compared to the past, or other parts of the world. 

I am a Cantonese bride and the groom is Hokkien in dialect. To be honest, we did not really know the exact tradition and requirements so there was a fair bit of research through asking friends and reading other bridal blogs / forums. It seems that everyone’s experience differs anyway, so we decided on the more general requirements. Part of the requirements were already discussed during the Ti Qin (Asking for Hand in Marriage) meeting at Li Bai Cantonese Restaurant between two families.

Requirements of the Groom (general and not in preference of dialect group):-
1. Twelve oranges with tiny red “xi” (happiness) stickers pasted on them (you may get anything between 8-16 oranges)
2. Two bottles of hard liquor or wine - we opted for the latter since I love wines
3. Twelve boxes of traditional wedding cakes for relatives
4. Roast pig or piglet or cans of pig’s trotters – we opted for the former but instead of having it on Guo Da Li, we will reserve it for Actual Day’s morning
5. Si Dian Jin (4 pieces of gold jewelry) – I waived this since I am not Teochew; and his mother has given us a sum of money for the wedding as gift
6. Two pairs of Long Feng (dragon and phoenix) Candles
7. Red packet consisting of Pin Jin (bride price) – amount discussed during the Ti Qin meeting
8. A betrothal basket to contain the above items
9. Red banner to hang over the door
10. Candies (can be peanut candies, rice candies, sesame candies etc depending on dialect)
11. Other fruits such as apples, coconuts, pineapples, banana etc (depending on dialect group)
12. Black charcoal
13. Gift Box (containing jewelry for the bride, red dates, dried longan, lily bulbs, peanuts, walnuts, dried tangerine, lotus seeds, dried lemon slice, pine tree leaf and different grains)

This may totally differ and I see some brides asking for Chinese mushrooms, cans of abalones, black moss fa cai, tea leaves, suan pai zi (Hakka dish) etc.  It is believed that the more luxurious your gifts are, the better your daughter has married.

It is very cute to note that these days, there are these miniature replicas
of the potty, baby bathtub, wash basin, mugs etc - they are usually meant for
those who buy for overseas wedding, but you may also consider these representations.

Requirements of the Bride’s Dowry / Return of Gifts (general and not in preference of any dialect group) :- 
1. Six oranges with the tiny red “xi” (happiness) stickers pasted on them (returning)
2. Two bottles of Orange Juice or Bandung / Cherryade – drinks should be in red or oranges tones 
3. Return of three boxes of traditional wedding cakes for him
4. Part of the roast pig (on Actual Day)
5. One pair of Dragon Phoenix Candles (for us, I am to keep 2 sets of Dragon candles and return him 2 Phoenix ones)
6. Part of the Bride Price (DO NOT use back the same envelope as it would constitute to rejection of dowry)
7. Red packets for nephews / nieces
8. Shoes or angpows for groom’s parents and elder siblings
9. A tea set for the wedding tea ceremony at the groom’s house
10. One 5-piece descendant pail set (baby bathtub, washbasin, potty, tray and mug)
11. New bedsheets and duvet for the bridal bed
12. A set of bedside lamps
13. A dining set comprising chopsticks, spoons, bowls and plates
14. A pair of rinsing mugs
15. A beauty set containing a hand mirror, a pair of toothbrushes, a pair of toothpaste, a pair of shampoos and a pair of towels)
16. Two pairs of footwear (clogs or slippers)
17. A sewing basket with even-numbered spools of colored thread, needles, pincushion and scissors (this signifies that the bride is capable)
18. A set of gold jewelry given by the bride’s parents
19. A luggage
20. Prosperity charcoal
21. Auspicious ruler
22. Unity coins
23. Red lace fan
24. Five Elements Seeds (5 types of grains)
25. A pair of new pyjamas for both
26. A pair of pants or angpow to buy the same for the Groom
27. Red packet for the Matchmaker (he will be bringing along an aunt to act as that)

This may differ and some have returned / gifted other items such as jujubes, chives, ginger, yam, 5 elements seeds (types of grains) etc.  Others pack all their new toiletries for the groom to bring over together as well. In my humble opinion, most of these items are stuff we may never see or use again, so no need to buy very expensive ones.

My unfinished purchases of King Koil pillows, pink bedroom slippers, red packets, baby bathtub, potty, auspicious ruler, 2 bags of prosperity longans, thread needle set, cockery set, stickers, rinsing mugs, unity coins, 5-grains, bedside lamps that look totally like vintage kerosene lamps, and towels.

Some Bridal Shops for consideration :- 
1. **The Chinese Wedding Shop (Ang Mo Kio Jubilee Square #01-12A)
2. The Wedding Chamber (32 New Market Road #02-1082 / 1106)
3. Fu Yuan Wedding Shop (32 New Market Road #02-1158)
4. Amanda’s Dreamweaver (32 New Market Road #02-1030)
5. Tiong Poh (Hong Lim Complex #02-58)
6. Chop Kwong Mee Chinese Wedding Shop (Block 4 Sago Lane #01-127)
7. Xiang HengWedding & Gifts (Chinatown Complex #01-75 / 76)
8. Jia Jia Wedding Items (Chinatown Complex #01-226)
9. **Golden Happiness (Katong Shopping Centre #01-45)
10. **Le Knot (City Plaza #05-09A)
11. Cheok Keuw Bridal (Block 506 Jurong West St. 52 #01-180)
12. Sim Chye Departmental Store (Beauty World Centre #01-K3)
13. Minah Bridal (Beauty World Centre #01-19)
14.  **Shuang Xi Le (Novena Square 2, #03-39)

** denotes shops with online purchase options and / or delivery service.

I had wanted to order from Shuang Xi Le for convenience's sake, since they have everything and their sets are reasonably-priced. Best of all, they would deliver to my doorstep. Then The Mom wanted to shop with me - being the only daughter I didn't want to spoil her fun, so we went hunting in various shops in Chinatown area and settled for Xiang Heng Wedding Shop - owner Mr. Lee was nice and knowledgeable, advising us of items and never hard-selling.  In the end looking at the many items we bought (I also helped The Beau buy his items as well as our Bed Setting items), he gave us a discount with an auspicious figure.

As for where to order the traditional wedding cakes / biscuits, here’s some options for consideration: 
1. Sweetest Moments (http://www.sweetestmoments.com.sg/wedding/guo-da-li-packages.html)
2. Swee Heng Bakery (http://www.sweeheng.com.sg/wedding-cakes.html)
3. Le Café Confectionary and Pastry (http://www.lecafe.com.sg/guo-da-li.html)
4. Pat’s Pastry (http://www.pnfpastry.com/Default.aspx)
5. Out of the Cake Box (http://www.outofthecakebox.com/)
6. Pine’s Garden (http://www.pgcake.com/)
7. iCakes (http://www.icakes.com.sg/)
8. Choz Confectionary (http://www.choz.com.sg/wedding.html)
9. Carousel Moments (https://www.carouselmoments.com/wedding-cake/)
10. Riz Delights (http://www.rizdelights.com/#!wedding-cakes/car7)
11. Gin Thye Cakemaker (http://ginthye.com/index.php?route=product/category&path=25)
12. Thye Moh Chan (http://thyemohchan.com/products_packages.html#packages) – for traditional biscuits 

Most complete the ceremony within a day though there are more traditional couples who do it over the course of 2-3 days, between accepting and returning of gifts. You may also get a fortune teller to “calculate” an auspicious day and time for this ceremony, but generally it takes place around 1-3 weeks before actual wedding day.

Finally, I shall end off with the Bed Setting (An Chuang) items I bought, since I was at the Chinese wedding shop.  Some of these items overlap with the dowry items so just get one will do. The list goes like this:
1. Two bags of prosperity longans (this fruits are actually know as "fu gui fruit  meaning prosperity fruits)
2. Red dates (to denote give birth to baby soon - "zao sheng gui zi")
3. Sweets and candies for a sweet / blissful marriage, of course
4.  Five element seeds
5. Black charcoal
6. Unity coins (there are 8 in the bag. Stick the small ones on top of the larger ones and placed one pair in 4 corners of the bed, beneath the mattress)

That's it for now.  I never pegged myself for the very traditional type, but yes, now I have bought all these items and went through the traditional Guo Da Li ceremony. Counting down to two (2) weeks before the Big Day now.



For the rest of the Nuptial Series:
Part (i)  - The Proposal
Part (ii) - Solemnisation procedure
Part (iii) - Solemnisation venues
Part (iv) - Finding the right photography studios
Part (v) -  Hunting for the suits and gowns
Part (vi) - Bespoke (tailored gown) - Review on Kelly's Bridal
Part (vii) - Pre-wedding photoshoot in Vancouver, Canada
Part (viii) - Pre-wedding photoshoot in Singapore - Loov Production

Part (ix) - Frustrations and Decisions
Part (x) - Hunting for the Suits and Gowns (Part II)
Part (xi) - Wedding Dinner Banquet Venues

Part (xii) - Decorating the Wedding Banquet Ballrooms
Part (xiii) - Guest Lists and Inviting the Guests
Part (xiv) - Dowry and Demands Discussion
Part (xv) - Food Tasting for Banquet Dinner Menu
Part (xvi) - Meeting the Solemniser
Part (xvii) - Shopping for the Bridal Shoes 
Part (xviii) - Other Background Preparation
Part (xix) -  Shopping for Wedding Bands
Part (xx) - Wedding Gown Fitting @ French Wedding
Part (xxi) - Bridesmaids aka "Sisters"

[Media Invite] Dinner at Ash & Elm @ Intercontinental Hotel Singapore

80 Middle Road, #01-00 Intercontinental Hotel, Singapore 188966

Tel:  6825 1008

Website: http://www.ihg.com/intercontinental/hotels/gb/en/singapore/sinhb/hoteldetail

Reservations: http://www.hungrygowhere.com/singapore/ash-elm-bugis

After the closure of Olive Tree Buffet Restaurant at Intercontinental Hotel, the renovation is finally over and has rather recently re-opened as an entirely new Modern European restaurant, Ash & Elm. The a la carte dining restaurant exudes an intimate, exquisite ambiance with its dimly-lit decor; service was polite and professional as well.

The new restaurant also features a Cheese and Chaturie Room, a large Wood Fire Oven and an Open-Grill Kitchen; these 3 are all located after the entrance, so dining guests can get an eyeful before being seated. There is also a Bar Counter area that also doubles up as a breakfast buffet section in the mornings.  Further in, there are various types of seating areas from cushy booths to buttery leather couches as well as a couple of private rooms for functions.

This was a media invited tasting attended by representatives from Hungrygowhere as well as a number of other familiar reviewers / bloggers.

Their menu comprised mainly of modern European dishes at reasonable prices; there are pasta dishes, meat dishes, seafood dishes, salads, cheese platter, and a kids' menu made up of very healthy ingredients.  This would make this restaurant perfect for bringing family here for meals too.

We started with an Ash & Elm Platter consisting of Home-cured Beef Pastrami, House-smoked Pork Loin, Air-dried Pork Belly, Cold-roasted Beef and Presse de Foie Gras with Smoked Duck. Save for the rich, creamy foie gras, the other meat items were moist and tender; making for a lovely start to the meal. We had a glass of Prosecco each for this starter.

The Bread Platter consisted a good variety of tasty bakes - baguette, crispy bread sticks, etc, paired with butter and house-special Seaweed Butter. The bread was fresh and lovely, of course.

Beef Tasting Platter was next, paired with a glass of reds.  There were USDA New York Striploin, Australian Rib-Eye Steak and French Bavette D'Aloyau, served with sides of vine tomatoes, asparagus, mashed potatoes, sautéed mixed mushrooms as well as potato wedges. Sauces comprised Bearnaise, Peppercorn and Natural Jus - I enjoyed Peppercorn the best as it added a tangy touch to the meats.  The beef were tender, juicy and deliciously-marinated.

Following that, the Pumpkin and Bacon Flat Bread - bacon, pumpkin, nutmeg, sage, mascarpone and parmigiano reggiano .It was favourful, with a doughy texture. I personally enjoyed the sweet and savoury combination as well as the chewy texture of this item.

Mains were served next, starting with this French Free-range Yellow Chicken Supreme, made up of 30 day grain-fed chicken from Savel. Served with it were thyme, rosemary, creamy polenta, sweet corn with bacon and mushroom sauce.  Chicken was beautifully-infused with the heavier gravy, and had a delicately tender texture.

Seafood Linguine was unlike any other that I have ever tasted in a western / European restaurant. The pasta (made of wheat?) looked and even tasted like the Chinese ee-mian; only smoother, finer in texture. The seafood portions were generous and comprised scallops, shrimps, squid, clams, olives tossed in a basil and crustacean sauce. Palatable was the name of the dish and this dish left a deep impression on me - something to order when I return.

We had the Spanish Slow-grilled Iberico Pork Chop next - succulent and well moistened bone-in slab of sweet black pork. The sides had the faintest hint of crisp and smokiness, seeping into the natural flavour gently.

Tasmanian Salmon Fillet A La Plancha - a pretty dish made up of sustainably-farmed Tasmanian salmon, grapefruit hollandaise  and mixed vegetables. Salmon skin was unbearably crispy, teasing the palate before the smooth, flakey flesh of the saccharine red fish sweetened.

Finally, time for desserts. We began with Chocolate-Hazelnut Pizza that contained chocolate brioche, 3 types of chocolates (dark, milk and white), praline, marshmallows, cocoa granite and white chocolate ice-cream. It is a chocolate lover's dream come true, all on a rich, delicious chocolatey cookie base that crunched and melted in decadent pools in the palate. I kept having craving for its unique texture and taste for days thereafter.

Following that, Apple Tatin - créme chantilly, granny smith (apple) chips, and calvados ice-cream. I enjoyed the puff pastry, flakey with the sweetness of apple as well as the crunchy granny smith chips.

Next, Salty Caramel Rum Raisin - 64% chocolate, rum-raisin creméux, sea salt caramel, chocolate foam and cocoa nib ice-cream. Loved the soft, fluffy chocolate cake that was rich and creamy without being overpowering; the pairing with rum and raisin gave me the best of both worlds - two top favorites combining into one.

The Peach Melba was up next - ruby peach parfait, almond strawberry genoa bread, and strawberry tuile looked too pretty to be devoured. Peach parfait was gorgeously flavoured with peach's natural flavour so distinctive, heightening the flavour of the pastry. The berries added a zesty hint to this lovely piece.

Finally, Yuzu-Citrus Combination with its colorful presentation, especially the alternating colors of grapefruits as plating. Lemon sable breton was a crunchy pastry base with citrusy notes, tuned up by lemon curd, mandarin orange reduction and yuzu sorbet. This was the perfect ending to a heavier-flavoured dinner, refreshing the palate and senses totally - an invigorating dessert dish.

The overall dining experience here was fabulous - good food, intimate ambiance and excellent service. Thank you Ash & Elm for hosting this meal, and thank you Hungrygowhere for the invite.

[Invited Tasting] Dinner at Grand Mandarina ( 御华庭 ) Restaurant @ Chinatown

325 New Bridge Road, #01 / 02-00 Singapore 088760

Tel: 6222 3355

Website:  http://www.grandmandarina.com.sg

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GrandMandarinaRestaurant

It was a weekend and time for the tasting session at Grand Mandarina Chinese Restaurant at New Bridge Road, offering Chinese / Cantonese fine-dining concept, which I have been looking forward to for weeks. It used to be known as Grand Mandarin and was thereafter changed to Grand Mandarina, so remember to use the new and correct name for this restaurant.

Headed by Chef Benson Tong, who gave up his submarine engineer career to operate a roast meat hawker stall, followed by cafes and later, this exquisite restaurant. He has extensive knowledge on the different food and nutritional values, is constantly on the lookout for new food trends and ideas; and strives to customise dishes that may also accommodate vegetarian, gluten-free, eggs-free diners. He has also worked as a private chef creating interesting dishes for his clients.

The interior decor of the restaurant was classy and modern, with big round tables atypical of Chinese restaurant, with exquisite tableware. The kitchen is helmed by Chef Eric who also has years of experience in Cantonese fine dining cuisine  - we got to experience the delicacies that day.

A starter of sweet, juicy tomatoes and plum sweetened the palate before the tasting session commenced. The touch of luscious sweetness whetted the appetite greatly.

The first item was the Steamed Vegetable Dumpling (SGD$4.80) with diced assorted mushroom and vegetables in black pepper. No meat? No fret. These dumplings were bursting with the aroma of mushrooms and black pepper, utterly tasty, and the melty translucent skin is handmade. One of the most flavorful vegetables dumplings I have tasted thus far.

Next up, Crispy Rice Rolled with Smoked Shredded Duck and Bamboo Shoot (SGD$7.50) - velvety rice roll (think cheong fun) wrapped around crackling smoked duck that had a lovely distinctive duck flavour but was not overly salty; nothing like the usual dry, rough smoked duck we are accustomed to. This is highly recommended.

Then we had the Pan-fried Buns filled with Pork and Cabbage (SGD$5.00) lined with thin egg sheets. The buns had a lovely crusty texture to them, with succulent minced pork-cabbage fillings within.  The minced pork was mildly-sweet, and very delicious - how they managed to ensure the delicate texture of the pork is by buying meat and fats separately to blend themselves; to ensure quality of the minced meat.

Following that, the Crackling Pork Belly (SGD$18.00) with waffle-crispy skin, crackling deliciously in the mouth; the pork meat is succulent and moistened, incredibly addictive to pop one piece after another into the mouth.

The signature Crystal Char Siew (SGD$18.00) with its caramelized coating is saccharine, crunchy and well-torched ("aburi", as described); the flesh is has a lovely buoyancy to it, along with the delicious tinge of smokiness.

Roast Duck with Summer Truffle Sauce (SGD$32.00) boosts of an earthly aroma infusing into the natural sweetness of the duck; a creative delight  to reckon with.

Next up, a new dish - Deep-fried Chilean Seabass (SGD$26.00) with crispy fish skin served with scrambled egg white and golden broth. Crispiness ranged from the brittle fish skin to the deep-fried golden skin of the Chilean seabass, and while the teeth ran through all of those deliciously, the flakey, snowy flesh of the luscious fish tantalized the palate further. The nectarous golden broth filled with silken scrambled egg white fulfilled the dish with a flourish.

Then Steamed Wild Yam in Imperial Sauce (SGD$12.00) was served next; this is a Chinese herb sometimes also known as mountain yam and other names. It has a starchy, rough feel to it, as well as a very light, powdery taste with every crunchy bite; and has a lot of benefits to it. Infused with the vinaigrette gravy and sprinkled with some tiny red chilli added flavours to it.

Last but not least, another new dish that I enjoyed tremendously - Coconut Crustacean Broth with Silken Longevity Noodles in Coconut and King Prawn (SGD$26.00). The exciting presentation piqued the palate's curiosity, and the first sip of the broth was just indescribably good - saccharine and tasty of seafood goodness. The silken strands of noodles were soaked with the tasty broth. Loved the springy freshness of the tiger prawn as well. After slurping all the broth and finishing the noodles, we dug the tender flesh of the coconut off the interior wall of the husks, and enjoyed the seafood-infused fruit.

Finally, desserts! This special is not for sale, unfortunately, and is beautifully named "Delivering Coal in the Snow (雪中送炭)", comprising black sesame husk dotted with white sesame and filled with rich and creamy durian pengat decorated with precious edible gold flakes. A mound of red bean paste divided the crispy sesame husk from the refreshing coconut ice-cream. Colorful and zesty dots of fruity sauce forming part of the plating added zesty touches to the lovely tropical dessert.

The food at Grand Mandarina was overall, delectable, and every dish is unique in presentation and taste. Service was professional and polite, adding to the enjoyment of the meal.

Thank you Benson and team at Grand Mandarina for the tasting session, and appreciation to Yvette for extending the invite.